Senate debates

Monday, 17 November 2014

• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Meeting (5 speeches)
    I remind senators that the question may be put on any proposal at the request of any senator.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Bill 2014; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Bill 2014. This is the bill the Senate should have considered five months ago. It is a bill...
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Bill 2014; Third Reading (3 speeches)
    As no amendments to the bill have been circulated, I shall call the minister to move the third reading unless any senator requires that the bill be considered in the Committee of the Whole.
  • Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time.
  • Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (18 speeches, 1 comment)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The speech read as follows— AUSTRALIAN SPORTS...
  • Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2014; Third Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
  • Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013; Second Reading (7 speeches)
    I stand to oppose the Tax Laws Amendment (Research and Development) Bill 2013. This bill amends the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to deny access to the research and development tax incentive for...
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Trade with China (25 speeches)
    Mr President, my question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that sugar has been excluded from the recently concluded China-Australia Free...
• Distinguished Visitors (0 speeches)
  • (1 speech)
    Before I call Senator Bilyk, could I acknowledge in the President's Gallery former senator Alan Eggleston. Good to see you with us. Honourable senators: Hear, hear!
• Questions without Notice (0 speeches)
  • Climate Change (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to comments by President Obama that for Australia climate change means: … longer droughts, more...
  • Women's Workforce Participation (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash. Could the minister please outline to the Senate the commitment made at the G20 in relation to women?
  • Clean Energy Finance Corporation (11 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Now that the Prime Minister has cited the Clean Energy Finance Corporation $10 billion as one of his three excuses...
  • Workplace Relations, Victorian State Election (6 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz, and relates to a recent Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate report which investigated the unexplained abandonment of litigation...
  • Trade with China (12 speeches, 1 comment)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Investment, Senator Cormann. The Australian today announced that Mr Abbott and the President of China will sign a memorandum...
  • Higher Education (18 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Payne. Can the minister update the Senate on support for the government's higher education reforms?
  • National ICT Australia (17 speeches)
    My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer to NICTA, the Australian government ICT research organisation, which is a world leader in bringing science...
  • Vocational Education and Training (7 speeches, 3 comments)
    My question is to the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Senator Ronaldson, representing the Minister for Industry. Will the minister inform the Senate how the government, in partnership with the...
  • Australian Defence Force (17 speeches)
    My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I refer to the Prime Minister telling the RSL National Conference in 2012: A "fair go" is the least a grateful nation can offer to...
• Questions without Notice: Additional Answers (0 speeches)
  • National ICT Australia (1 speech)
    I have an additional answer to the question asked of me by Senator Carr today in relation to NICTA. The government will maintain $84.9 million worth of funding over two years, to 30 June 2016,...
• Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers (0 speeches)
  • Answers to Questions (21 speeches, 1 comment)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) and the Minister for Defence (Senator Johnston) to questions without notice asked by...
  • Clean Energy Finance Corporation (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne today relating to climate change policy....
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Leave of Absence (1 speech)
    by leave—I move: That leave of absence be granted to Senators Marshall and Gallacher for parliamentary duties and Senator McLucas for personal reasons for 17 November to 19 November 2014;...
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2014; First Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That the following bill be introduced: A Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act 1991 and the Fair Work Act 2009, and for related purposes. Social Security and Other Legislation...
  • Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Caring for Single Parents) Bill 2014; Second Reading (1 speech)
    I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill. Leave granted. I table an explanatory memorandum and I seek leave to have...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the tragic death in custody of Ms Julieka Dhu on 4 August 2014, (ii) the National Day of Action held on 23 October 2014 - Justice for Julieka, (iii)...
  • Resources Sector (1 speech)
    I move: That the Senate acknowledges the fact: That the Australian resources sector contributes about 10 per cent of our gross domestic product, directly employs around 270 000 people and...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • International Travel; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Abetz), by 3.30 pm on Monday, 24 November 2014, any correspondence between the Prime Minister's...
  • Biosecurity; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture (Senator Abetz), by 3.30 pm on Monday, 24 November 2014, copies of any documents, including...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (4 speeches)
    At the request of Senator Wong, I move: That the Senate— (a) notes: (i) the role of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor is essential in reviewing the operation,...
• Documents (0 speeches)
  • Ebola; Order for the Production of Documents (1 speech)
    I move: That there be laid on the table by the Assistant Minister for Health, no later than 3 pm on 26 November 2014, a copy of the advice which has informed the Minister for Health's decision to...
• Motions (0 speeches)
  • Divestment from Fossil Fuels (8 speeches)
    I move: That the Senate— (a) notes that: (i) many Australians consider universities to be important institutions that provide a significant social, cultural and economic good, (ii)...
  • Return to Orders (1 speech)
    I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 496 standing in my name relating to an order for the production of documents concerning the SEA1000 submarine project, before asking...
• Matters of Public Importance (0 speeches)
  • Green Climate Fund (9 speeches, 2 comments)
    A letter has been received from Senator Milne : Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion: "The...
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Economics References Committee; Report (1 speech)
    I present the report of the Economics References Committee on the future of Australia's naval shipbuilding industry. Ordered that the report be printed.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 4) Bill 2014; Explanatory Memorandum (1 speech)
    I table an addendum to the explanatory memorandum for this bill. The addendum responds to concerns raised by the Scrutiny of Bills Committee.
• Committees (0 speeches)
  • Membership (2 speeches)
    Order! The President has received letters from party leaders requesting changes in the membership of various committees.
• Regulations and Determinations (0 speeches)
  • Fair Entitlements Guarantee Amendment Regulation 2014 (No.1); Disallowance (12 speeches)
    (   I move: That the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Amendment Regulation 2014 (No. 1), as contained in Select Legislative Instrument 2014 No. 147 and made under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee...
• Business (0 speeches)
  • Rearrangement (1 speech)
    I move: That intervening business be postponed till after consideration of government business order of the day no. 3 (Australian Education Amendment Bill 2014). Question agreed to.
• Bills (0 speeches)
  • Australian Education Amendment Bill 2014; Second Reading (18 speeches)
    I rise to speak on the Australian Education Amendment Bill 2014. If the government had kept its promise to honour the Gonski agreements, there would be no need to consider many parts of this...
• Adjournment (0 speeches)
  • MCEWEN, Sir John 'Black Jack' (1 speech)
    It is a great honour to rise tonight on a day where some history has been made in this place with the historic signing of the trade agreement between Australia and China. Tonight I too want to...
  • Carers Week (1 speech)
    I rise to make some remarks about Carers Week, which passed not too long ago. I wanted to take the opportunity before the year's end to acknowledge the wonderful work that carers do right across...
  • Multicultural and Multifaith Communities (1 speech)
    I want to speak tonight in support of our incredible multicultural and multifaith community and, in particular, in support of and in solidarity with Muslim women. I have been extremely upset by...
  • Regional Queensland (2 speeches)
    I rise tonight to give a short report on a recent trip that I undertook across some 1,500 kilometres of an area that represents about 20 per cent of the landmass of my state of...